Sri Lanka’s air quality worsens, likely due to severe air pollution in India

Colombo, Nov. 6 (newsin.asia) – Sri Lanka’s air quality hit the above 100 mark on the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Wednesday, reaching far above the normal levels, the National Building and Research Organization said.

Sarath Premasiri, the Senior Scientist at the Environmental Studies Unit of NBRO, quoted in local media reports said that on Wednesday morning the AQI levels in several parts of the country had reached 173 declining to 165 by noon.

The standard level of AQI is measured at around 50 or below.

Premasiri said the prevailing severe air pollution in New Delhi, India may have been one cause for this but added investigations were ongoing to ascertain all the causes for the unhealthy air pollution prevailing in the island.

“Even though the situation seems to improve, our modelling has indicated that the air quality levels have worsened in Colombo, several areas in the north of Sri Lanka including Jaffna and Vavuniya and also in Puttalam, in the north western province,” Premasiri said.

The NBRO, in an announcement cautioned people with respiratory illnesses due to an increase in dust particles in the air above the north, west and north western provinces of the island.

The Meteorology Department said it was also investigating whether the smog, which was reported from several parts of the island, was a result of the severe air pollution in India.

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